Hydraulically actuated punch



0 1955 L. HARPER HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED PUNCH Filed Sept. 8, 1953 INVENTOR. [AF/'75 HARP/FA HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED PUNCH Latfie Harper, San Francisco, Calif.

Application September 8, 1953, Serial No. 378,853 3 Claims. (Cl. 164-50) This invention relates to a hydraulic punch and has for one of its objects a simple, light weight, portable punch suitable for use in punching operations in sheet metal.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple, light weight, portable punch that is suitable for use and adapted to be used in combination with others to form a gang punch for performing a plurality of punching operations, and a still further object is the provision of a gang of such punches in adjustable relation to each other.

Conventional punch presses or punches are heavy, stationary, costly and cumbersome machines even where used for operations on relatively light sheet metal. They usually constitute a bed for one of the die elements and a cast metal support therefor having an upwardly extending side arm that is offset to one side of the die element and bed for holding the other die element of the punch in a position aligned over the first mentioned die element. The upper die element is operatively connected with hydraulic means for effecting its reciprocation to and from the die element carried by the bed. Multiple die elements are sometimes used in association with the bed and the overhead structure, but the spacing of such elements is very limited and many punching operations are quite difficult. Y I

With the present invention, the normal costly and bulky punch press is eliminated, and a simple few elements are constructed and arranged for speedy assembly and for moving to any desired position.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through one of the punches.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a greatly reduced top plan view of a gang punch in which a number of punches as shown in Fig. 1 are used.

In detail, each punch comprises a cylinder block 1, shown in a vertical position in Fig. 1 and which block is formed with a cylindrical bore that may be interiorly threaded at its upper end for receiving a plug 2 that may have a radially outwardly projecting flange 3 thereon for sealing against a gasket 4 between the upper end of the block and said flange. The plug may have a polysided central projection 11 formed integral therewith to facilitate installing and removing the plug with a wrench.

One side of said block at a point spaced substantially below the plug or closure 2, is formed with a vertically elongated opening 5.

Positioned within the upper portion of cylinder 1 between the opening 5 and the plug or head 2 is a piston 6 of any suitable design for use with rings or washers to effect a fluid tight seal within the cylinder. This piston is reciprocable axially of the cylinder in the space between the head 2 and the opening 5, and it virtually comprises a rod 7 having the piston at its upper end and which piston may have the elements 9 including a sealing ring 10 therein.

Below the piston may be a guide flange 12 also integral nited States Patent 0 F 2,765,035 Patented Oct. 2, 1956 with the rod, or the flange 12 could be virtually an extension of piston 10 if desired.

Rod 7 is preferably of reduced diameter below the flange 12, as indicated at 13 and this portion 13 is usually opposite the opening 5 when the piston is substantially at the upper end of its stroke.

An upper die backing plate 14 is supported on said reduced lower end of the rod, said plate being apertured for the rod, and a portion 15 of said plate projects through the opening 5 with its side edges substantially in slidable engagement with the sides of said opening.

Below the plate 14 is the upper die 16, which die projects from the opening 5, and is integral with the body portion 17 that is apertured for the lower portion 13 of rod 7 the same as the backing plate.

The wall of the block 1 opposite opening 5 is also formed with a vertically extending opening or slot 20. This slot 20 is preferably not as wide as opening 5, and the body 17 of the die is provided with a projection 21 that extends into and slidably fits in said opening 20.

The lower end of the portion 13 of rod 7 is threaded for a nut 23, which nut tightly holds the backing plate and die rigid on said portion 13 with the backing plate tightly against the enlarged portion 12 of said bolt.

A plug 24 is threaded into the lower end of the block 1, and this plug, in turn, is centrally apertured, and the aperture so provided is threaded for a stop member 25 that projects upwardly into block 1 toward the bolt 7 and coaxial therewith. A lock nut 27 on the lower outwardly projecting end of member 25 serves to lock said member in its adjusted position.

A coil or helical spring 28 reacts between the body 17 of the die and the plug 24 for constantly urginglthe die, piston, backing plate and bolt 7 to its uppermost position.

The lower end of block 1 is provided with a rigid brace or support 29 having a through passageway 30, which support projects laterally from the cylinder below the die, and secured on this support by any suitable means such as machine screws or bolts 31 is the lower die 32 that is complementary to upper die 16. In the drawing the upper die 16 is the male die and the lower die the female die, so that the part punched from sheet metal positioned between the dies will drop through passageway 30.

Dies 16, 32 may be of any suitable form according to the character of punching to be done.

A side of the block 1 above the piston 6 and below plug 2 is formed with an inlet 33 for fluid under pressure, and any suitable and conventional valve (not shown), may be employed to admit the fluid under pressure into the upper end of block 1 through flexible pressure line 34, which fluid will cause the piston to move downwardly until the lower end of the portion 13 of bolt 7 strikes the stop member 25, and at this point the punching operation is performed by dies 16, 30. Upon release of the fluid pressure by manipulation of the valve, the spring 28 will move the dies apart and restore the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Block 1 is preferably formed with a bracket support 40 integral therewith and projecting from the side of the block opposite the opening 5, which bracket has a depending arm 41 rigid and integral therewith and spaced from the block.

Below bracket 40 the block is closed opposite opening 5 by a wall 43. This wall is integral with the block and forms the bottom of the slot 20.

The arm 41 is formed with a threaded opening through which extends a threaded screw clamp 44 having a finger engageable member 45 for tightening and loosening the screw.

The foregoing structure enables the punch or a plurality thereof to be adjustably secured to a flat, horizontally extending bar 146 with the upper marginal portion of such bar between screw 44 and the plate 43. The punches on such bar can he slipped along the latter to vary the spacing between the punches, and flexible lines 34 may connect with a single source of power for simultaneous actuation of the punches by manipulation of a single valve. The ditterent punches may have diflerent dies for punching different types of notches or openings.

I claim:

1. An hydraulically actuated punch comprising: a cylinder block having a cylindrical bore therein closed at one end and having an inlet for fluid under pressure opening into said bore at said closed end, a piston reciprocable within said bore, an opening formed in one side of said block communicating with said bore and a recess formed in the wall of said bore opposite to said opening, a die support extending across the end of said piston that is opposite to said closed end provided with a projection extending into said recess and a cutting portion extending through said opening, and projecting from said block, means for releasably securing said die support to said piston, said projection and said portion being reciprocable longitudinally of the axis of said bore upon reciprocation of said piston, a die complementary to said portion rigid with said block and in punching alignment with said portion for punching material disposed between said portion and said die, and a spring in said bore reacting between said piston and said block for yieldably urging said portion away from said die after a punching operation.

2. An hydraulically actuated punch comprising: a cylinder block having a through cylindrical bore internally threaded at its opposite ends, a pair of plugs respectively threadedly secured in said opposite ends of said bore, a piston reciprocable within said bore, an inlet for fluid under pressure opening into one end of said bore adjacent to one plug of said pair and a spring reacting between the other plug of said pair and said piston for urging said piston to a position adjacent to said one plug, an axial externally threaded extension on said piston projecting toward said other plug, an opening formed in one side otsaid block communicating with said bore, a first die support through'which said extension projects and a nut on said extension releasably holding said die support against said piston, a first die on said support projecting through said opening and reciprocable in said opening upon reciprocation of said piston, and a second die complementary to said first die projecting from and rigid with said block for punching material disposed between said elements.

3. An hydraulically actuated punch comprising: a cylinder block having a through cylindrical bore internally threaded at its opposite ends, a pair of plugs respectively threadedly secured in said opposite ends of said bore, a piston reciprocable within said bore, an inlet for fluid under pressure opening into one end of said bore adjacent to one plug of said pairand a spring reacting between the other plug of said pair and said piston for urging said piston to a position adjacent to said one plug, an axial externally threaded extension on said piston projecting toward said other plug, an opening formed in one side of said block communicating with said bore, a first die support through which said extension projects and a nut on said extension releasably holding said die support against said piston, a first die on said support projecting through said opening and reciprocable in said opening upon reciprocation of said piston, .and a second die complementary to said first die projecting from and rigid with said block for punchingmaterial disposed between said elements, a recess formed in the wall of said bore opposite to said opening, a projection 011 said die support extending into said recess and reciprocable therein upon reciprocation of said piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 472,357 'Holzapfel Apr. 5, 1892 539,573 Cartwright May 21, 1895 1,072,822 Cevasco et al Sept. 9, 1913 1,076,466 Thomas Oct. 21, 1913 1,781,111 Klauke Nov. 11, 1930 1,911,741 Berry 'May 30, 1933 2,118,648 Johnson May 24, .1938 2,163,641 Wales June 27, 1939 2,384,130 Pell et al Sept. 4, 1945 2,656,820 Bt cker ,,...,s,,.., Oct. 27, 1953 

